General Chemistry: Matter and Measurement

This flashcard set covers the fundamental concepts of general chemistry including the properties of matter, separation techniques, subatomic particles, chemical laws, and nomenclature based on lecture notes.

Matter

Any material that occupies space and has mass; it is made up of atoms.

Atoms

Tiny, indivisible building blocks that measure approximately $10^{-10}$ of a meter.

Molecules

A combination of chemically bonded atoms whose arrangement dictates the compounds formed.

Monoatomic Molecules

Molecules composed of a single atom.

Diatomic Molecules

Molecules composed of two atoms.

Polyatomic Molecules

Molecules composed of 3 or more atoms.

Covalent Bonds

Chemical bonds formed by the sharing of electrons.

Ionic Bonds

Chemical bonds formed by the transferring of electrons.

Octet Rule

The principle that atoms want to be stable by having a full outer shell, achieved by transferring or sharing electrons.

Cations

Positively charged ions formed when an atom loses one or more electrons.

Anions

Negatively charged ions formed when an atom gains one or more electrons.

Electrons

Subatomic particles with a mass of $9.11 \times 10^{-31}\,kg$ and a charge of $-1$.

Neutrons

Subatomic particles with a mass of $1.675 \times 10^{-27}\,kg$ and a charge of $0$.

Protons

Subatomic particles with a mass of $1.673 \times 10^{-27}\,kg$ and a charge of $+1$.

Intensive Properties

Properties whose value does not depend on the amount of matter, such as color, density ($\rho = \frac{m}{V}$), boiling point, and solubility.

Extensive Properties

Properties that depend on the amount of matter present, such as mass, volume, weight, and energy.

Physical Properties

Properties that can be observed without creating a new substance; they alter the state and appearance but not the composition.

Chemical Properties

Properties that describe how a substance transforms into another, such as flammability, reactivity, toxicity, and corrosion.

Pure Substance

Matter with a definite chemical composition that does not differ in composition throughout.

Element

A fundamental substance that cannot be separated into simpler substances by chemical methods.

Compound

A substance composed of two or more elements that can be separated by chemical methods.

Homogeneous Mixture

A mixture that is uniform throughout.

Heterogeneous Mixture

A mixture that is not uniform and has distinguishable parts.

Filtration

A separation technique where insoluble matter is separated from a liquid using porous material; the liquid passing through is the filtrate and the solid left behind is the residue.

Decantation

A technique where solid settles at the bottom of a container and the liquid (decantate) is slowly poured off.

Centrifugation

A process where a container is spun rapidly, relying on centrifugal force to settle residue at the bottom.

Distillation

The separation of liquids based on their different boiling points.

Sublimation (Technique)

A separation method where a solid is allowed to sublime and the gas is deposited onto a cool surface.

Chemical Symbol

An abbreviation representing the name of an element, typically written with the first letter capitalized.

Triclosan

An antibacterial and antifungal agent ($C_{12}H_7Cl_3O_2$) used in toothpaste and soap to remove bacterial films.

Saponification

The chemical reaction involving the mixing of oil and an alkaline substance (lye) to produce soap.

Law of Conservation of Mass

A law coined by Antoine Lavoisier stating that matter can be neither created nor destroyed; the total mass of reactants must equal the mass of products.

Law of Constant Composition

Also known as the Law of Definite Proportions (Joseph Louis Proust), it states a pure chemical compound always contains the same elements in the exact same proportions by mass.

Law of Multiple Proportions

A law introduced by John Dalton stating that when elements form compounds, the masses of one element and the fixed mass of another are in ratios of small whole numbers.

Isotopes

Atoms with the same atomic number (number of protons) but a different number of neutrons.

Isobars

Different nuclide atoms that have the same exact mass number (A) but different atomic numbers (Z).

Empirical Formula

A chemical formula in which the quantity of elements is reduced to the smallest whole number representation.

Molecular Formula

The actual composition of a compound, representing the true number of atoms in a molecule.

Binary Acid

An acid consisting of hydrogen attached to a nonmetallic element, such as $HCl$ (Hydrochloric acid).

Oxoacids

Acids containing hydrogen, oxygen, and another element, such as $H_2SO_4$ (Sulfuric acid).